Distracted Driving

Distracted driving has become a huge problem, and is only on the rise with all the new technology we have. It is one of the main causes of car accidents, many of which prove fatal. You may not know, but there are actually three types of distractions on the road: manual, visual, and cognitive. All three can be equally dangerous. Manual distractions are diversions that cause the driver to take his or her hands away from the wheel. Some obvious and often seen examples of this are talking on the phone, texting, eating, or putting on makeup/grooming. Visual distractions are interruptions that cause the driver to move his or her eyes from the road. Looking at passing scenery or searching for something dropped in the car are both examples of visual distractions. The third type of distraction is cognitive distraction. This type of distraction causes drivers to take their minds off of the road ahead and driving altogether. Talking with someone in the vehicle or daydreaming are both examples of cognitive distractions—and they can be just as bad as manual and visual disturbances. Interestingly, when a driver uses a cell phone—cognitive, visual, and manual distractions are all involved! There are several telltale signs of a distracted driver. A few of them are driving below the speed limit posted, not stopping properly at a stop sign, and swerving into adjacent lanes. If you notice yourself acting this way, try to reevaluate your situation. Are your distractions really worth putting your life in danger? To practice focused driving, you can follow these few simple tips. First, do all the GPS programming before turning on your vehicle. Also, to avoid multitasking on the road, take care of drinking your coffee, eating your sandwich, or having an intense conversation before or after driving. If you see that something is absolutely needed after you have already started driving, pull over to the side of the road and do it. While you should try your hardest to avoid distracted driving, you should also make sure that your car is properly drive-able in the first place. If you see that you need something even as simple as seat belt retractor replacement or seat belt retractor repair, get it done immediately. You may think that driving your car without getting seat belt retractor repair is harmless, but it can prove to be the opposite. Improperly working seat belts alone can be a major distraction on the road! Get seat belt retractor repair at the company Safety Restore.